The Best Birthday Gift Ever
by PHLover213
Summary: "Just let me finish and then you can sleep." I bargained. The little skeleton leaned back on his mother's pillows. . . . What if Marie had stepped in on Erik's fifth birthday? What if she'd given him what he truly wanted? Kay-based family fluff oneshot.


**What if, on Erik's fifth birthday, Marie had stepped in? What if she had given him the one birthday present he **_**truly**_** wanted . . . after the mirror incident?**

**I offer this.**

**Enjoy!**

**xxxx**

I looked down at the poor little child. He did not deserve what his horrid mother gave him. He deserved love just like any other child did, just like Madeleine was showered with her whole life, by her parents, by the girls at the convent, by Charles and then shamefully by both Erik and myself. She did not deserve that love – this poor, wounded child did.

"It hurts . . ." he whimpered quietly as I carefully removed a splinter of glass from the fleshy area under his thumb on his palm. He winced. That face truly was horrid, but it displayed emotion. And he looked like the hurt, confused five-year-old that he was. As much as I was aware of his intelligence, I knew he had the emotional maturity of his own age if not that of somebody younger.

I glanced at the tome I had gifted him with and I tried to distract him from his pain, completely unaware of the dam that I would break in the process. "What did your Maman give you for your birthday, Erik, dear?"

He looked at me with his usually calm eyes aflame with anger. "Nothing! I hate birthdays! I don't need your help!"

I tightened my grip on his hands, remembering that the nuns always taught us kindness could disarm the most hardened of men.

I seemed to be dealing with such a person.

"Just let me finish and then you can sleep." I bargained.

The little skeleton leaned back on his mother's pillows. I knew very well where she was – probably sitting by the fire with Sasha, brooding about how life had been oh-so-terrible to her thus far and she didn't deserve any of her terrible life and oh-woe-is-me. I was sick of her being unable to see what a gem her son was, even though he was quite – alright, _hideously_ – ugly. I was sick of her acting like a spoilt petulant child and having her only son suffer the consequences.

"Erik," I said, keeping the mischief from my tone as best I could.

"_What?_" he snapped back coldly.

"I promise that I shall give you whatever you asked of your Mama, if you tell me what it is."

He glared at me for a moment, but I smiled and nonchalantly pulled a few final splinters of glass from his sticklike fingers, then stood to get the bandages. When I came back his brow was furrowed. He glanced pensively at me as if I had presented him with a particularly difficult mathematic problem or philosophical question. The line between his emotional and intellectual thoughts was blurring. "Mlle Perrault," he said after a few moments of me dressing his deep wounds. Madeleine had been the cause of those wounds, and no doubt they would be for life.

"Yes, Erik, dear?"

"She . . ." his brow furrowed and he chewed his lip as if the next words were difficult to pronounce. "I asked Mama for . . . kisses."

The evil _bitch!_

She didn't have the heart to kiss her own son? Why, if I had been of a more violent disposition I would have raced down the stairs and done more than slap Madeleine, which was what I planned on anyway.

"And she said no?"

"I hate birthdays anyway . . ." he muttered sorely. I tilted my head and looked at him. He had never known motherly affection.

"I'll give you that, Erik."

His eyes lit up with unashamed glee suddenly, and he looked at me in true childlike adoration. "Really? One now, and one later?"

Madeleine didn't deserve such a boy as her son. "As many as you want, Erik."

He pulled away from me, drawing the hand that was in mine away too. "You're lying to me. You'll just show me the monster, like _she,_" I couldn't help but notice the mixture of disdain and reverence in that word, "Did! And I'll never get a kiss from Mama . . ."

_Your Mama is worthless_, I wished to say to him. I wished to take him away from all his pain, because he was just a child! He did not deserve such terrible treatment! "I will give you kisses, Erik, if only you will let me."

His bravado slipped.

"You're not lying?" he asked guardedly.

"I won't lie to you, dear." I extended my hand. His bandaged, thin little hand found itself in mine, and I allowed a small smile. The poor dear had suffered so much in such a short life.

"You'll kiss my cheek, and you won't scream at me?"

"Who would do such a horrid thing?"

His look at the ground in the direction of where his mother would be gave me my answer.

"No, I will not scream at you." I confirmed, and he looked down. He was obviously not like anyone else – he did not know how to receive a kiss, and the thought made me want to smile and cry all at once. I felt my lips curl upward. Erik's tears began to fall before I even leaned in.

I cautiously pressed my lips to his thin, papery skin and he sobbed freely then. I had to join him – it was obviously the first joy he'd ever felt. He launched his thin body at me and wrapped his arms around my middle, burying his face in my skirts. I stroked the little boy's sparse, dark hair. He cried something that I understood with a huge sigh of relief: "This is the best birthday gift ever!"

I knew that I had to save him from Madeleine.

It was early morning when I gathered the sleeping child in my arms. He was sucking his thumb like an infant and his hideous face was peaceful. Dried tracks of salty tears were left on his pale cheeks and my brow furrowed. My parents would be furious that I was bringing a demon as they referred to him into their home, but I could deal with that later. I was going to give Erik a loving home.

I passed Madeleine sleeping in the parlour with a stitched mask in her hands. I took it from her, vowing to burn it. She was a shallow, vain woman and would probably be glad of Erik leaving; glad that she could return to her life before. And I was happy for her to do just that, leaving her son the Hell alone. He deserved more love and affection than she would ever give.

Sasha bounded over to us, quiet as if she knew of my plans. I knelt and she licked the tears from her young master's face. I petted her head. "Come to visit him once in a while, mm?" I whispered. The dog blinked almost intelligently, almost as if it knew what I meant. I brought the boy closer to me and held the mask firmly, ready to face the town.

This was a victory march; I was taking him to his new life.

And I couldn't be happier.

**xxxx**

**So, did you like it? I am rather seized with apprehension, seeing as I just effectively stopped Kay's Phantom in its tracks.**

**But what did people think? I thought Marie would do a better job as a mother. Anyways.**

**See you next time!**


End file.
